


set me free.

by melbopo



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha!Maia, Alternate Universe - Future, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Getting Together, Maia Week, Minor Character(s), Poisoning of off screen characters and main character, Post-Canon, Sort of? - Freeform, Two years after 2x10
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 22:51:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10397943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melbopo/pseuds/melbopo
Summary: Maia has seen first hand the impact that 'good intentioned' shadowhunters can have on the Downworld, so it goes against all of her beliefs to ever put the lives under her protection into the hands of one. But when a virus that's slowly weakening the health of the Jade Wolf Pack takes a turn for the worst, Maia is forced to rely on a certain shadowhunter to identify the cause as well as the solution to the epidemic: Isabelle Lightwood.--------Written forMaia Week on Tumblr!





	

**Author's Note:**

> Okay im sorry this really was meant to be a like a short two to three paragraph drabble/fic summary, like 400 words max, that ended up starting as a summary but I wrote out the ending??? it's kinda a mess - i'm sorry!!
> 
> (i did like writing it this way though... maybe i'll do more in the future?)
> 
> fic title is from [set me free off the get down soundtrack](https://play.spotify.com/album/7ezeSBh9E63ijDAxn8Ke4P) cause ive been listening to it religiously since i finished part 1 of the season and yall should be too!
> 
> Special shout out to Itenoria and Ana who gave me inspiration for this fic!! ilybsm
> 
> PS - the mention of Murphy refers to the adage Murphy's Law

A couple of years have passed since the angelic activation of the Soul Sword at the Institute that killed just under half of the Jade Wolf Pack and Maia is finally starting to feel stable on her own two feet. In the days that followed that traumatic event, the emotional devastation and unease of the pack prompted Maia to challenge an emotionally compromised Luke for the position of Alpha and she _won_. While Maia had a steep learning curve to adjust to the leadership and decision making her new position required, Luke made sure to help guide her as well as work through different conflicts as her second in command. He always reminds her that she’s a natural leader and her heart is in the right place, on the betterment of the _pack_ , so everything else will work out.

Of course now that she’s allowed that thought of stability and a return to some semblance of normalcy to enter her mind, Murphy decides to show his ugly face and put the whole Jade Wolf Pack at risk. The problem doesn’t seem drastic at first glance, just a bad case of the flu that’s impacting the oldest and youngest pack members with the typical, mundane illness package: runny noses, slight fevers, cold sweats, and nausea. But after almost a week, the flu symptoms seem to be getting worse instead of better and it’s affecting more and more members of the pack. Neither Maia or Luke can pinpoint what the source of the virus is nor find a way to minimize its spread. The fear of letting the virus progress to even worse conditions forces Maia to put her trust in a practical stranger, a shadowhunter that happens to be the best pathologist in the whole state of New York: Isabelle Lightwood.

With the all too recent destruction of many in her pack from the ‘good intentions’ of a shadowhunter in the corner of her mind, Maia is hesitant to share more than blood and saliva samples of the sick with Isabelle, an attempt to hide just how weak the virus has made the pack to protect what little pack does remain. But after watching ~~Isabelle~~ _Izzy,_ work for fourteen hours straight, from the afternoon to well into the early morning hours, to identify the virus, reignited some semblance of Maia’s trust in shadowhunters, well maybe just Izzy.

\-------

The reason it takes Izzy so long to identify the virus is because it isn’t actually a virus at all but rather a poisoning from an uncommon species of mistletoe, an already rare plant to be found naturally in a city. Maia, Izzy, Jace, Simon, Clary, Alec, and Magnus spend the next three days combing underground water systems for the source of the poison or even a trace of the substance. Each day that passes finds Maia steadily taking on more and more of the flu-like symptoms, but desperately trying hiding her worsening condition from Izzy, in part because Maia doesn’t want to worry Izzy, enjoying their playful flirty dynamic and easy conversations, but more importantly so she can remain on the investigation to save her pack. After exhausting the majority of water systems that New York City has to offer, the team finally circles back to where everything began: the Jade Wolf.

It’s almost embarrassing how the first place that people started getting sick was the last place to be checked but Maia supposes that’s what happens when Murphy is involved and Jace, Clary, and Simon were in charge of searching that area of the city. Once the mistletoe has been located, Magnus performs a simple water purification spell to rid the remaining mistletoe from the water before volunteering Alec and him to further the investigation into the mastermind behind the attempted murders. Everyone else goes home to begin the process of waiting for the poison to be flushed out of the werewolves with clean, uncontaminated water.

Two days pass before before the first werewolf’s life is claimed by the mistletoe poisoning. Izzy realizes immediately that the mistletoe was in the werewolves's system for too long for it to be just cleansed out without some sort of antidote. The lack of mistletoe in the water causing the poisoning effects to worsen instead of weaken. Maia senses the urgency, volunteering to bring the body of the elder werewolf to the institute for examination as well as offer any other resources she can provide Izzy to help formulate just the right ratio of medicines and herbs to create a counter reactant to the poison.

Maia didn’t realize how much trust she has for the beautifully intelligent shadowhunter until she finds herself at Isabelle’s lab door at nearly four in the morning, fevered, dehydrated, and slightly delusional from the rapid progression of the poison in her blood. As Isabelle helps tuck Maia into her bed to get some rest while she finishes her last round of antidote testing, the fact that Maia sought out Isabelle’s comforting presence by following her now familiar heartbeat to the institute, a place Maia hasn’t been since that tragic night, and while at her most vulnerable, tugs at her fever frenzied mind. She can’t fully discern why that's important beyond the fact that it _feels_ important and in the back of her mind she knows she just might not wake up from this. Maia reaches her hand out to grab Izzy’s before she leaves her side, “you know, I really was looking forward to seeing if you could kick my ass sparring.”

Izzy’s eyebrows pinch together, weariness from the long nights and little sleep showing in the dark circles under her concerned eyes. Maia can’t help but think about how breathtaking Izzy still looks, even when bone tired. “And you will. As soon I finish the antidote, you’ll take it, heal, and feel much better.” Izzy turns her hand over in Maia’s so her palm is up with Maia’s palm resting against hers. “Then, when you’re well enough we’ll get together and spar.”

Maia feels Izzy’s thumb rub a soothing circle into the back of her hand, the exhaustion of fighting the poison for so long weighs Maia’s mind and body down into the comfortable pillows that smell of Izzy’s perfume. Both factors lure Maia’s into a denser sleep fog, her voice deeper as she asks, “Hm get together? Like a date?”

Izzy’s laugh in response wakes up Maia just a little before the little massage on her hand continues and pulls her back towards the land of the sleeping. “Only if you make your famous sangria for post sparring.”

Maia nods her head deeper into the pillow, smiling at the pleasant idea that Izzy paints. “Deal.”

The last thing Maia hears before she falls asleep is a soft “it’s a date then,” followed by a gentle kiss to her forehead.

When Maia finally wakes up, she has no clue what time of the day it is or how much time has passed since she fell asleep but she does know that Isabelle looks extremely uncomfortable slouched back in the chair she’s in. Without a second thought, dry and croaky words from disuse tumble from Maia’s mouth, “that’s a good way to mess up your neck.”

Izzy’s head jerks up at the noise, her eyes wide in surprise and a joyous smile lights up her whole face. She quickly walks the short distance from the chair to the bed. “You’re awake!” From this close, she looks even more relieved and gorgeous. It makes Maia feel warm and light as a feather in the pit of her stomach knowing that she is part of the reason for that happiness. It reminds her of something so hazy it almost could be a dream. She clears her throat in an attempt to sound more like herself, “How’s my pack?”

Izzy sits on the edge of the bed by Maia’s thighs. “I made an antidote that Simon and Jace helped administer to everyone, poisoned and not just to be safe. Magnus and I are going to do one last check later today but it looks like everyone is already healed and doing much better.” Ease flows through Maia’s body at hearing those words with a steady and true heartbeat from Izzy. Izzy pauses for a moment, her eyebrows drawing together as if she has one more thing to say but isn’t positive how to word it exactly. “You were the last one to wake up.” She reaches for Maia’s hand on top of the covers closest to her, she looks down at their hands as she adds, “I was worried you might miss our date.”

The genuine fear rings loud and clear to Maia in the hesitant confession Izzy lets out. Those words are all Maia needs to solidify that hazy reminder into a real memory. She turns her hand over under Izzy’s hand so her palm is face up, an echo of her memory. Her voice is teasing as she replies, “I would never miss the opportunity to make sangria for you to nurse your bruised ego with after I kick your ass sparring -especially not if it's a date.” Maia squeezes Izzys hand in hers as a gentle reminder for both of them that she’s here and this is real. Izzy looks back up at Maia with a half smirk, “oh I look forward to proving you wrong on our date.”

Maia knows she should ask more questions like if they found out who tried to kill her pack or if they are any new leads, but she’s still feeling drained and she knows her pack is safe, that she is _safe_ , and that is more than enough for now. It’s a complete change for Maia compared to where her opinion stood on shadowhunters just two weeks ago, but looking over at Izzy, she can’t imagine going back to a life where she doesn’t have this intelligent, caring, and badass woman in it _and_ on her side. Izzy’s hand squeezes hers, as if she can sense that she’s the subject of Maia’s thoughts, and Maia lets that sense of hope in her chest grow and grow and grow. Hope for the pack, for herself, and for _them_. She’s been boxing in and closing off this type of feeling for years, out of fear and a sense of self preservation, but god does it feel amazing to open it up and set it free.

 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> you can find me and this post with the moodboard on tumblr [here](https://mel-iorn.tumblr.com/post/158672333766/maia-week-day-two-favorite-relationship-maia)! Let me know what you think maybe??


End file.
